O Canada

Kadeem Green will have a fellow countryman on the roster next year. Green a 6-8 210 pound redshirt freshman has worked his way into Coach Haith's rotation. This Toronto (ON) native has a 7-1 wingspan so a vertically challenged Mizzou team needs his help on the boards. Green was hurt all last season and although technically in his second year this is actually his first opportunity to exhibit his basketball skills. Canadian Negus Webster-Chan is on the way having signed a letter of intent in October, he is a 6-7 195 pound small forward/shooing guard. Webster-Chan hails from Scarborough Ontario, "is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto Ontario Canada." After the Tigers played Kennesaw State Green was chosen as the post game guest. The play by play announcer asked him pretty standard post game questions however he mentioned the fact Green was Canadian. He asked him about the Canadian basketball picture and this was his response, "more and more players are coming down here (U.S.) to play ball." Hopefully there are more Canadians in Mizzou's future.  NOTE:  I was in error, one more Canadian headed to Mizzou, 6-9 Stefan Janovic from Mississauga Ont, Canada.  My apologies young man.  (Wikipedia)

The Apocalypse is here now

Okay I exaggerate however reading some in the media I get the impression of an apocalyptic event for the Lakers. As this is written they are discussing my team has begun the season 0-2, it's panic time right? Hold on, allow me to point out a few facts:

a. Brief training camp due to Lockout.

b. New Coach in Mike Brown.

c. No Bynum due to suspension.

d. Kobe injury (and maybe divorce blues).

e. Chris Paul playing for the wrong L.A. team thanks to David Stern.

By the way the defending NBA Champ Mavs are 0-2 as well---is it panic time for them too?

Once upon a time

Back in the '60's and '70's the Missouri Valley Conference was one of the toughest basketball conferences in the nation, it's still tough today however it's somewhat unrecognized by the national sports media. It's unrecognized until one of it's schools "upsets" a national power such as Kansas. The Valley schools of that long ago time period were the equivalent of the ACC or Big East today, the Valley is now considered a mid major conference. As this is written Creighton is 9-1, Northern Iowa 10-2 while Indiana State and Wichita State are both 9-2. Mid-major number 9 seed Northern Iowa took out the mighty Kansas Jayhawks a number 1 in the 2010 NCAA tourney? In addition to successful teams the conference has turned out several outstanding NBA players. Yahoo Sports compiled a complete list, but I will profile a few. Larry Bird of Indiana State, anybody ever heard of him? How about Walt "Clyde" Frazier New York Knicks, he earned his defensive spurs at Southern Illinois University. Former Chicago Bull Chet Walker was a 2X first team All-American at Bradley University and member of the 1963 NBA Rookie Team. The Philadelphia 76ers coach Doug Collins had an outstanding NBA career, he honed his basketball skill at Illinois State University.

"The more things change the more they seem to remain the same"

I'm really unsure who to credit for that statement but it certainly fits the Wizards of Washington. The team rolled out their brand new uniforms for the 2011-12 season but wait just a minute. Those uniforms look kinda familiar where have I seen them before, they look remarkably close to the uniforms of Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes? That's really an interesting move, rather then retro jerseys they had new uniforms modeled after the those of the 1970's. A little history for those who might not be aware, the team was originally known as the Bullets from it's founding. They became the Wizards in 1997, the late Abe Polin who owed the team at the time was concerned about the negative connotation of the name and the rising crime rate in Washington D.C. Wizards broadcaster Phil Chenier had an interesting comment on the uniforms. I thought Chenier's view was interesting because he was the point guard on those Unseld teams. He said, "they are similar but updated to what we wore." Phil you wore the uniform so your observation is probably better than mine but the unis look pretty similar to me.

Wonder where he's going

The nation's number one high school prospect Shabazz Muhammad remains uncommitted. Muhammad scored 42 points in a game, Bishop Gorman lost, less then 24 hours later he scored 28 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Gorman won. Muhammad plays both ends of the court, the media fascination with his offense tends to over shadow his defensive efforts. This 6-6 215 guard has narrowed his list to six schools with four in the forefront. The leaders are the usual suspects, Duke, Kentucky, UCLA and UNLV. Kansas and Southern Cal are outside possibilities, he narrowed his list of schools he said "he was continuing to receive phone calls and offers from schools he had no interest in attending."